Coast Guard cutters and aircraft destroyed three U-boats along the coast during this German offensive. The dangerous nature of escort duty was made plain after the cutter Alexander Hamilton fell victim to a torpedo attack in January 1942, but the other five cutters of the “Secretary-class,” ...
But of course Captain Conyngham did not intend long to live up to this peaceable appearance; his chief concern was to procure1 another armament, gather his crew together, and, nothing daunted2, put back to the rich cruising grounds. It was his settled purpose to enter the Irish Channel and...